Description:
Adults are like leafhoppers but appear much wider, about 3/8 inch long,
dark brown to black and have two brilliant red-orange lines traversing
the forewings, which are held over the back of the body. Immatures residing
within masses of spittle are but are smaller, wingless, with white, yellow
or orange bodies and brown heads and red eyes.
Life Cycle:
Winter is spent in the egg stage that hatches in the spring.
Nymphs produce the spittle mass to prevent them from drying out,
and develop through four stages (instars) within about one month.
Eggs hatch in about 2 weeks. Two generations can occur per year.
Pest Status:
Most noticeable when immature stages, feeding on host plant,
produce masses of frothy spittle that encircle the twigs and young leaves.
Control:
Follow approved practices regarding mowing,
fertilization and irrigation to reduce thatch buildup.
If a thatch problem exists, dethatching should reduce spittlebug problems.
Avoid over-irrigating turf to minimize infestation. Spittlebugs will not survive drought conditions.
To minimize turf injury, chemical control may be required when spittlebug populations are heavy
